


Brainworm

by the_impatient_panda



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Doc is Drunk, F/F, Gen, Miranda's Brilliant, Post-Canon, Surviving Shepard, jack is horny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:35:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25496167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_impatient_panda/pseuds/the_impatient_panda
Summary: A thought that wouldn't go away. A niggling detail. A...shadow in the back corner of her mind that refuses to come into the light. Miranda didn't like mysteries, they usually came back to bite her in the ass.WARNING:INCOMPLETE Lots of fleshed out stuff, some skeleton dialogue and some notes. A definitely beginning, middle and end. Love or hate at your own risk!
Relationships: EDI/Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Female Shepard/Liara T'Soni, Garrus Vakarian/Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Jack | Subject Zero/Miranda Lawson, Karin Chakwas & Jack
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	Brainworm

It wouldn’t leave Miranda alone.

A tantalizing bit of thought that she couldn't pin down and examine properly.

It came at night when she was almost asleep, a whisper in her ear...something left undone...a shadow in the corner of her eye when she was weighing in with others over what needed to be completed next or the barest brush of fingers on her shoulder when there were none there...

Nerves, she told herself as she efficiently dispatched her team to their tasks and forced her mind to stillness to sleep. Everyone had those phantoms now, the war left no one untouched. Something a trained professional could probably deal with, but there was still too much work to do and it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle for the time being.

And yet...

The six-month anniversary of the end of the war came. Miranda did precisely what she promised Shepard she would do. She drank to those who were lost, humming a bit of _______ and admiring the knife on her wall that was a gift from Thane. The calls in some ways were harder. The marks of grief on Liara’s face would never fully fade, she suspected. The asari stood tall, a leader among not only her own people, and used a strength born of her time with Shepard to pull the universe along behind her towards a better future. Jacob and Kaidan were both settled in their own roles, as confident and stable as ever. Fill in later. Most of the rest are videos sent and ones sent in turn. Until they get to-

Jack. 

Miranda half expected her not respond to anyone at all. But however she felt about the difficult biotic, Jack was a part of the team, a part of the reason Shepard was able to succeed and a loyal member to the very end. She started the vid as she had the others. 

“Hello Jack. Its been six months today since...everything went from utter shit to peace once again. Still a lot of shit about, of course, but that’s what the rest of us are still here for.”  _ Still here _ echoed back at her in her mind, somehow similar to the echo- focus, Lawson. Time for speculation later. “Grissom Academy seems to be doing well, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about the kids who graduated out of your program after the war. You should be proud of them, Jack. And yourself. You’ve...you’re doing something good. Something important. Something no one else could do.”  _ No one else could- _ Again, she forced herself to leave the thought for later. “I know you got hurt in the final battle. I hope it healed well, not that I expect any injury could keep you down for long.”  _ Injured...down for...healed well...Shepard. _

_ Oh shit. _

Miranda didn’t realize she was staring silently at the monitor as her thoughts tumbled out of control, muttering to herself now and again as she tried to finally fit together the pieces that were clinking restlessly about in her head. It wasn’t...it couldn’t...

Could it?

Then...how...

The  _ beep _ of the recording finishing and being sent off was lost on her as she dove for a pad and pulled up a series of files.

Twelve hours later, with a thirty minute nap and a brief shower her only admissions to being human, Miranda was brushing past Dr. Chakwas assistant and marching herself into the doctor’s private office. 

“Dr. Chakwas!” the young asari squawked as Miranda hit the pad to open the door. “This woman insisted- should I call security?”

“No,” the doctor said quickly, standing behind her desk with what was obviously her breakfast and piles of pads strewn about it. “No, if Ms. Lawson needs to see me then it is probably important. Though a call ahead next time would be appreciated...” Giving Miranda a firm look. “You are no longer my XO, Ms. Lawson, and this is my clinic.”

“Of course,” Miranda replied, willing to say whatever pleasantries necessary to push past this obstacle and get rid of the assistant. “My apologies to you both. But this is urgent, so-”

“It’s fine, you can go back to your desk,” the older woman told her assistant, and turned back to her meal as she sat. “Forgive my manners, but whatever this is I have a full rotation afterwards and probably not another chance for a bite for several hours.”

“I understand.” Taking the other seat the doctor motions her towards. Her stomach growls as she opens her mouth to continue on.

“I see I’m not the only one running perhaps a bit too hard.” Pushing a button. “Corie, be a dear and grab a second tray for my guest.”

_ Yes, Dr. Chakwas. _

“You can start on my bacon while we wait,” the doctor offered, pushing the tray across. “What brings you to see me at this hour, Ms. Lawson? Certainly not to share my breakfast, which while is better than ________ managed at first on the SR-2, is still cafeteria food.”

A second tortured growl prompted Miranda to accept the offering, though she quickly swallowed it to say, “I need access to a list of all the patients that have been seen on the Citadel for the last six months.”

“That is an unusual request,” her companion commented as she sipped her coffee. “Your own status and clearance may be a bit nebulous, but if nothing else Liara would be able to get you access to those records if you asked her. So why do you need me?”

“Because...I don’t want Liara involved in this. Not until I know that I’m right.”

Dr. Chakwas paused, eyes catching her former XO’s with shock. 

“No,” she said softly. “No, that’s not possible. We searched...”

“The Lazarus Project,” Miranda countered quietly. “Think about it.”

The doctor did so, sitting back slowly as she turned to glance at the sole picture on her office wall. It was of the Normandy, the original Normandy, shortly after the defeat of Saren with her full crew gathered along the docks beside it. 

“She was healing unusually quickly at the end,” she admitted after a time. “Even with the advances in medi-gel and the fact that I’m a damn good doctor, there was more than once that I recall being a bit amazed at how quickly she could bounce back...”

“You chalked it up to the Shepard legend,” Miranda said with a smile. “We all did, even me, and I should have known better. I should have...I was there when they rebuilt her. I saw the implants, the...the breakthroughs in medical science that had never been seen before. I watched them take a broken body and make it whole again.”

“She still had the implants.”

“There is no telling what they did to her, what they will continue to do to her.”

“If you’re right...and I’m not willing to admit yet that you are, but  _ if _ you are...” Turning back to Miranda. “If Shepard is alive, why hasn’t she come back?”

“Because the final thing to be restored were her  _ memories _ .”

-090-

In the end Dr. Chakwas did not go on her rotation, but it was several hours before she saw food again after that initial breakfast tray. She took the pads from Miranda with the detailed and once classified intel on what was done to Jane Shepard after her untimely death and compared it against every bit of medical information she had on the soldier from her time as her doctor. 

In the end she sat across from Miranda once more, handing over a pad with a hand that shook. “I never thought it could be possible,” she said, rubbing a hand across tired eyes. 

“Then you believe it is possible?”

“I know only believe it, I believe I found her.” Motioning to the pad Miranda is holdng.

“Truly?” Turning it on.

“In retrospect, our initial searches coming up with nothing make perfect sense. We were looking for the wrong thing. Given the explosion, and the state in which that area was found, body we searched for was one with burns at best that were weeks old. The doctor who saw the patient found by C-Sec was thought to have been burned months or perhaps even years ago. Her hair was completely gone, and as her face roughly matched that of a missing maintenance worker, which is what she was found wearing, she was allowed to leave with the other refugees once her extreme malnutrition and dehydration were seen to.”

Miranda examines the scans. “It’s her.”

“What makes you certain?”

“This implant here.” The doctor looks at it.

“I see nothing out of the ordinary.”

“You are not meant to. But there are a few minor differences that make it obvious to me that this is Cerberus tech.”

“A sort of secret-code in its making and form that wouldn’t be obvious to others? Hm, but how do you know this particular one was in Shepard?”

“Because I stared at this particular set of scans for  _ months _ while they put her back together. This is her. Its Shepard.”

-090-

Miranda walked along the Presidium Commons, finally giving in to the fact that she was in fact human as she stopped for a bite to eat and to rest on a bench for a moment. Her Omni-Tool blinked with unread messages, and she scrolled through them absently as her mind feverishly tried to decide what to do next. 

_ Shepard was alive. _

That was Tali and Garrus, sending their messages together. Cute, if a bit gross. Not the fact that they were quarian and tauran, but because they were just so disgustingly adorable together. 

_ She had the ship designation, but with FTL travel so limited and communications hampered by distance- _

Grunt’s message was short and to the point. Wrex’s was rambling and filled with little ______’s peaking their head into the camera view as he spoke. How he managed to pop out 6 little ones already was beyond her fathoming, and not really her business if she was honest. 

_ A direction and the first destination gave her some help, but with the records systems also still recovering... _

Samara’s message was short but sweet. Even she had admit that the Justicar made for an alluring figure. 

_ Her ship was small, but swift. A gift from Liara, for important, covert missions. But she would need a reason to be gone for perhaps months... _

A buzz on her wrist showed an incomming call, and the address gave her pause. Grissom Acadmey? What-

“This is Miranda Lawson speaking,” she said, quickly answering it.

_ Fucking hell, cheerleader! Took you long enough! _

“Jack. Is this a direct call? How did you-?”

_ Called in some favors. I am gonna be really pissed if you hang up on me, so fucking don’t.  _

“What’s wrong? For a direct call, you must have called in some big favors.”

_ That’s what I’m fucking asking you, asshat! Its about Shepard, isn’t it? What the fuck is going on and when the fuck are we leaving? _

“Nothing,” Miranda said, and immediately knew it was the wrong answer to give as the projected face melted into a scowl. “Jack, I-”

_ Can it, cheerleader. You know something, I can read it all over your face. Shit, when was the last time you slept? _

“I got 30 minutes. Give or take. Hold on a minute-”

_ Don’t you fucking  _ DARE _ hang up- _

The volume shifted from her wrist to her ear, and Miranda breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m on the Presidium. This isn’t the sort of thing I want shouted about until...until I decide what to do.”

_ Its fucking Shepard, isn’t it. _

Miranda didn’t answer this time, she just nodded.

_ Is she alive? _

“She was.”

_ The fuck is that supposed to mean? _

“We found a medical record we believe to be her.”

_ Then where the fuck is she and why hasn’t she crawled back to her favorite blue pussy yet? _

“Because I think she’s forgotten who she is.” Spotting someone coming. “I need to go, Liara has seen me and is coming over.”

_ Fuck no, cheerleader. Put me on speaker. _

“Jack, we can’t-”

_ I don’t have shit for brains, bitch! Put me on speaker. _ Clearing her throat.  _ Trust me. _

It was a terrible idea. 

Miranda still flicked her on speaker. 

Liara made it in time to catch the tail end of an explicative ridden tirade. Miranda cast her a weary look and mouthed  _ Jack _ as it wound down.

_ I can fucking see you cheerleader! Don’t roll your eyes at me! _

Liara scooted over to join the camera field and smiled as Jack jumped in surprise on her own screen.

“Hello, Jack,” she said, settling in her bodyguards surrounded them. “Problems at Grissom? If Miranda can’t help you, I might be able to do something.”

_ Not at Grissom, no. I’m trying to call in a favor and the fucking cheerleader is refusing to make good on it. _

“What in the world would I owe you a favor for?” Miranda shot back dryly. “I have never asked for your help-”

_ Oh, so saving your fucking sister wasn’t a help?  _

“I never asked you-” Remembering who’s beside her. Giving Jack a hard look. “I did thank you for that. And you got paid, technically, as a member of the crew.”

“What exactly is it that you need, Jack?” Liara asked, sounding amused over Miranda’s shoulder.

_ To borrow Miranda for a couple of months, maybe. She’ll be reachable, but I need her to make contact with some old operatives that may know something but won’t talk to me. _

“That’s a fairly big favor, Jack. Miranda is doing some pretty important work.”

_ So am I, and I’m wiling to leave it for a couple of months for this. _

“What are we looking for?” Miranda, wondering where the hell this is all going and knowing she can’t give in too easily.

_ My family. I got a lead. And they might be in trouble. _

Liara reached over and muted the line without asking. The video still played, but now Jack couldn’t hear anything either of them said. Miranda swung her head around, brows raised.

“Could you survive a few months with Jack unsupervised?” Liara asked, lips obscured by her fingers.

“You want me to go?”

“Shepard would, if she were here.” Looking down. “Jack’s family was one of the few things she always wanted to fix and was never able to. And you...”

“And I was Cerberus.” Rubbing her face. “Jacob was also Cerberus, though.”

“Jacob could efficiently kill things. Finding things, however, was not his strong suit.” Smiling a bit. “I can supply some credits and other things that might make it easier. Trade items are very popular right now, too.”

“...fine.”

“Thank you.” Kissing her on the cheek. Then flipping the mute off.

_ Aww, no show for me to enjoy?  _ Jack is leering at them.

“Never change, Jack,” Liara said as Miranda scowled and felt her cheeks flush. 

_ Why the fuck would I? I’m fuckin’ perfect as is. So do I get to borrow cheerleader or not? I promise to return her without hickeys. _

“With or without hickeys is entirely up to her, but yes you may borrow Miranda for a few months. She’ll need to wrap up a few things here, but I’ll make sure she heads your way in less than a week.”

_ Fuck yeah. Grissom’s already got a sub lined up for me, so I’m ready to go as soon as she gets here.  _ Glancing over her shoulder.  _ Yeah, yeah...apparently someone else needs the fucking line. See you soon, bitch. Jack out. _ Her image fizzles out. 

“As charming as ever,” Liara said with a faint smile. 

“Why do you encourage her, Liara?” Miranda asked, feeling a yawn stretch her jaws as exhaustion began to take its toll. “She’s nearly impossible to be around as is, and this will not help.”

“Just doing my part.” Enigmatic.

“Your part of what?” Suspicious. 

“Please, Miranda, I’m the Shadowbroker.” Lowered voice. “It’s safe to assume that if there is something to know... _ I know it. _ ”

-090-

Miranda irritably threw another suit into the bag, roughly zipping it shut only to pull it all out a moment later for even in her anger she couldn’t stand the thought of her things being unreasonably wrinkled upon arrival. 

“It was just a mission,” she muttered to herself as she set about neatly folding each piece of clothing and setting it carefully inside the rucksack. It would fit more once she was done, but she wished for once that her habits would allow her to be less than perfect for once. “A mission  _ she _ sent me on.”

Liara had been irritatingly vague right up until she’d been ready to leave, making a sign with her fingers and flicking her tongue in a suggestive manner. It was a signal she immediately recognized, one needed to gain entrance to a famous house of pleasure on Illium that was a front for illegal slave trade. Indentured service was one thing, even if Shepard hated it with every fiber of her being, but kidnapping women and forcing them into servitude against their will was another.

Miranda posed as a potential buyer, and it was after the Collector Base was destroyed and the faces of the famous members of the SR-2 were broadcast far and wide on the intranet for their service and bravery. Not all the details were there, of course, but it was enough for every whore house from there to the Rim to have a duplicate, ‘sexy’ version of the infamous crew available for hire for a year or two after. Who didn’t want to pretend they’d managed to snag a night with a hero of the universe, after all?

The owner, proudly parading his wares for her perusal, offered her the ‘pick of the bravest crew the galaxy had ever seen’ for free. It was only the women, of course, and the Asari. The narcissist in her briefly considered picking the one meant to represent herself (she did NOT wear her jumpsuits unzipped to the navel, thank you very much), but decided against it. The Shepard look-alike was laughable, and even the thought of feigning interest in a Justicar put a tingle of dread down her back. The others were fair at best, but on a whim she chose the one meant to be Jack. The emaciated frame was about right, as was the lack of clothes and plethora of tattoos. The attitude wasn’t quite convincingly hateful enough, but Miranda didn’t actually intend to do anything with the woman beyond having her sit on her lap and play for a bit. Jack, after her, repulsed her so it would be easy not to accidentally get caught up in what she was doing and focus on the mission. 

Figure this out. Somehow...she does get swept up in the illusion. Even fucks the girl for awhile. She likes to think they both got something out of it, including a nice fat tip for the girl. It was a...a momentary diversion. It meant nothing. It was something no one else ever needed to know about.

Except, of course, fucking Liara.

Shit.

Without the Mass Relays, it would means weeks and perhaps months alone with the psychopathic, unstable bitch in close quarters. She doubted Liara was going to toss a cruiser her way for a mission like this, and at any rate this wasn’t something a big crew needed to be involved with. After all, more people meant more secrets. More chances for the true nature of their jaunt to get out. No, it was best to keep it small.

She would just need to be sure to provide enough...entertainment for Jack to keep her occupied on the long, boring trip. The ship did have an E-Com visor, fully functional for videos, games and such. The program list currently was whatever had come with it for free, but she could call in a few favors and probably have a few interesting tidbits on there for Jack’s consumption. Anything to keep the other woman out of her hair. 

There was, of course, only one bed but that was fairly easily fixed. After all, someone needed to be awake at all times. They would sleep in shifts, and each have their own sleep sack on their side of the bed. She doubted Jack was allowing herself much luxury, she seemed almost allergic to it on the Normandy, and so doubted the sparse accommodations would be much trouble. 

Her loose ends were all taken care of here, and she was set to leave tomorrow. Sleep, she told herself as she put everything away for a long trip. It would be the last one for two or three weeks where she wasn’t half-listening for an alarm the whole night. The consequence of making the first leg of her trip entirely alone. It would be worth it, though, if only for the time to prepare herself for Jack. Whatever that meant.

-090-

Citadel was still recovering, but the shipyard at least was back to running like clockwork. Miranda arrived at her small vessel a half an hour before she was set to embark, and quickly found everything exactly as she had specified in her orders to the workers there. Food and fuels stores were ready, as were some trade stock and a few general repair elements. A tone from the airlock indicated someone requesting entrance, and she granted it calling out, “That better not be you, Liara. I know you have better things to do than to see me off on this fool’s errand.”

“It isn’t,” Dr. Chakwas said, climbing through the small entrance with a rucksack over one shoulder. “Hello, Ms. Lawson. You told Liara? I though the point was to  _ not _ get her hopes up.”

“I didn’t,” Mirand replied quickly, glancing behind the doctor to be sure she was alone. “She believes I’m off to help Jack with something. A favor I supposedly owe her from before.”

“Ah, good. She won’t be inclined to poke her nose in, then. Jack’s favors tend to be...messy.”

“Do you owe her a favor?” Curious in spite of herself.

“No, actually, she owes me one.” Thoughtful. “Hm, its been awhile since I’ve been on a ship this small. I take it we’re sleep in shifts due to the limited bunking options?”

“I haven’t agreed to let you come along yet. You’d be gone for months...”

“Do you know how much vacation time I have saved up with the Alliance after this many years of service? They forced me to go on a half a year sabbatical two decades back, and it barely put a dent in it. And that includes the time I took to run off and play with Cerberus for awhile. No, as soon as I mentioned two days ago I was considering taking a few months to travel and visit some friends my XO immediately got the paperwork started and practically shoved me out the door.” Grinning to herself. 

“I’ll admit it, that was well-played. Still doesn’t mean I’m going to agree to let you tag along.”

“Hm. Tell me, Miranda, for all your supposed perfection are also, in fact, a damn good doctor.”

“...no, I’m not.” Flatly.

“Ah. Well. I am. And you are going to need me, I think. Besides, if I don’t come along you’re agreeing to ride in this tiny tub alone with Jack for a couple of months at the very least. Are you sure-?”

“Welcome aboard, Doctor Chakwas. The lockers below the bed are open, pick which one you want and set the code to whatever it is you want to use. Unless you have an objection, I’ll take the first 12 hour watch and then sleep for awhile.”

“Excellent. I’ll catch up on some reading and then take a nap, I think.” Heading down the ladder to the sleeping area. Chart out the ship more fully later. 

Miranda launches the ship, and they’re off. 

With a ship that tiny, she can manage to go two star systems before they need to stop for fuel. The doctor is not nearly as frustrating as she feared she might be to live with. They quietly work and live around each other without a problem. The even split of work makes everything run smoothly. Miranda is worried about what happens when Jack joins the mix. 

Things go even better when she realizes the doctor knows games very well. 

“Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a game now and again,” Miranda said over the board one evening, the ship on autopilot and both of them trying to enjoy their reheated ‘cups o’soup’ that was that the meal of the hour. “It simply isn’t something I would have guessed from reading your files.”

“Truth be told, I never would have become one without Joker,” the doctor admitted with a fond smile. “I’ve been serving on the same ship as he since he first got promoted. Became a bit of an expert on his condition as a result, and keeping us together was usually easier than training someone new.”

“You must have spent a great deal of time together.”

“We have. And when Joker is bored, he is liable to drive even the most even-keeled of souls mad. Challenging him to a game was a good way to distract him...for a little while.”

“Until work came up.”

“Surprisingly enough, he never interfered with my work. He seemed to understand there was a time and a place for his childishness, and because of that I probably allowed him a great deal more than I should have.” 

Miranda looks surprised. Blurts out, “You love him.”

The doctor shrugs. “Yes, I do. He is probably the closest thing I will ever have to son.”

“What do you think of EDI, then?”

“Oh, I like her a great deal. I always did. I used to tell her how to get under his skin, before her programming was freed of it's constraints. To know he has something firmly capable of keeping him on his toes is...good.”

“I’m surprised you chose to leave the ship after...”

“...I couldn’t stay. Not without Shepard. It didn’t feel right.” Sighing. “I knew her before she was a Spectre or the hero of the universe. She was already famous of course, for holding the line at _____. But that was Alliance famous, not....universe famous.” Waving a hand. “You know what I mean.”

“I do.” Growing serious. Watching the doctor shift pieces around the board. “Have you thought about the fact that if we fail...to find her or we find her already...we’re never going to be able to tell Liara anything about this. Ever.”

The doctor looked up, eyes flat and nodded slowly.

“Can you do that? Lie to her like that? Every day, for the rest of your life?”

“I have told the families of men and women that I served with that they died peacefully. Quietly. That it was quick. Painless. Just a passing thought. That they died bravely. I am almost always lying. It pains me to admit this, but I am quite good at it. It hardly even hurts anymore. So yes, Ms. Lawson, I will be able to look Liara in the face and tell her it was just a vacation. A jaunt. Nothing more.” Sighing again. “I’ll never forgive myself for it. But yes, I can still do it.”

“Good.” Just as quietly. They continue to play.

-090-

It takes a week to get to Grissom Academy, running constantly except for two brief stops for fuel along the way. Good time, all things considered, though Miranda is expecting to stay at least a full day to let the mechanics give the old bird a once over and probably won’t run her as hot for the second leg of their journey. A steady speed is best for the engine, and she doesn’t want to overheat it while they’re in between jump points.

Dr. Chakwas disembarks as well, citing a desire to stretch her legs and visit the local shops for a quick glance through their supplies. Miranda tossed her a credit chip and said anything to spice up their meals would be appreciated. 

“My thoughts exactly,” the doctor replied as she headed the opposite way down the hall, saluting as she went.

Miranda watched her disappear around a corner before steeling herself to face the music.

It was always hard to say what sort of mood Jack would be in other than ‘difficult’. Even when she was happy she was difficult. A happy Jack meant enduring endless crude jokes, cutting teasing that was just short of cruel of all those in sight, and plenty of stories that she could do without of past exploits and conquests. Angry Jack was quieter, but more likely to leave your head smeared on the wall. Anything in between was a fun mixture of the two. 

Fucking Jack.

Miranda was met at the front of the school by security and the head of the school.

Introductions. Takes her to Jack. 

Jack is in the middle of teaching, and to Miranda’s surprise she’s damn good at it. The students clearly respect her, and she explains biotics in a way that Miranda intuitively understands. 

“Do you want me to pull her out early? We have another instructor-”

“No, we have time. Thank you, I’ll simply observe until this is finished if that is alright.”

“Of course. I will leave Frank here with you, in case you have any questions or require help finding your way around.”

“I understand.” Don’t wander around unescorted. She was a guest, with limited rights. Best to act like it. “Thank you.”

“It is our pleasure to host a friend of Ms. Nought. And of course any friend of Commander Shepard is an honored guest here.”

“Yes, of course.” 

Miranda was very good at staying still and watching. And Jack...Jack was always easy to watch. Always an interesting object to observe. She cleared her throat, told herself to focus and listened to the lecture. It was half demonstration, but that made sense given the subject. If Jack saw here there, watching from above, she didn’t give any sign. Eventually it was over, and the students gathered their things and filed from the class. More than one stopped by the teacher’s desk to say something. A few she smiled at, a few others she probably swore at. One she threw a book at, but caught it before it could smack him in the face. His classmates laughed, and even the boy smiled when it was over. Miranda waited until the last one was gone before she stepped into the room.

Clapping slowly, she enjoyed the way the psychotic biotic jumped just a bit before turning to pretend it hadn’t happened. 

“Enjoy the show?” Jack asked, “The little fuckers aren’t bad, for first years.”

“I thought they made you clean up your language here.”

“Only when they’re around.” Rolling her eyes. “And its only, like, the really fucking bad stuff.”

“Right.” Giving her a once over.

“Something I can help you with, Lawson? You missing Shepard’s widow already?”

“Don’t even joke about that, Jack.” Rolling her eyes. “Dr. Chakwas is with me. She insisted on coming along.”

“Where at?” Glancing around.

“Getting some fresh supplies. She’ll meet us at the ship tomorrow morning. Is that going to be a problem?” Comes out a little sharper than she means to.

“What? No, doc’s fine.” Shrugging a bit, gathering her things together. “I have a few last things to do. Always one more fuckin’ thing comes up with these kids.” Affectionately annoyed. “The little shits can’t keep their stuff together for two seconds sometimes.”

“What are they going to do now that you’re leaving?”

“Oh, I’ll still have a hand in what they’re learning. Which is part of what I need to do. I need the Comm signature so they can send me packets progress reports on the kids. I'll review it and send back suggestions based on what I see. My fucking replacement is apparently not up to the task without some oversight." Clearly not impressed.

"Easily enough done. Anything else you need from me?"

"How serious is the offer? Since you're apparently not into widows." Leering again.

"I have work to do as well. I'm hoping there might be records of the ship we're hunting having passed through here, but it's not the only place to get fuel in this direction."

"You have fun with that, princess." Heading out a different door. Miranda follows. "I'll have my things packed tonight. Any reason I can't come on board immediately?"

"Not unless you want to sleep one last time on a reasonably comfortable bed. That you don't have to share."

"The fuck?"

-090- 

Jack took one look at the tiny ship and turned back to Miranda. "You're shitting me. This was fucking Joker's idea, wasn't it? I don't care if EDI vents me out an airlock, his head is pulp the next time I-"

"This isn't a joke, Jack. This is it."

"It's fucking tiny."

"I'm aware."

"How many people."

"Six is the recommended maximum. I can't imagine trying with more than four, though." 

"What was that about sharing beds?"

"Come on in and I'll show you."

They head in. The doctor is already there, mildly drunk.

"Doctor Chakwas. I thought you weren't going to be back until tomorrow." Miranda checks the bottle of brandy. 

"Hm, yes, well my intelligence was incorrect and it turns out my friend did not make it."

"You had a friend here? Who?"

"Dr. Morgan. I believe you knew him."

"Sort of, yeah." Shrugging. "He never came back after the school reopened.

"He and the students he does with went to the ______ colony. The Reapers got them. God damnit I am tired of discovering my friends are all dead." Taking another drink. 

"C'mon, doc. That's probably enough." Taking the glass from her. "Ready to sleep?"

"Probably should. Not as young as I used to be." Patting Jack on the shoulder as the biotic helps her up. "You're alright, Jack. I'm glad you're not one of the dead ones."

"Me too, doc." Smirking a bit. To Miranda. "Where's the bed?"

It was, in theory, meant for two. It was the smallest two-person bed Miranda had ever seen. Jack helped the doctor lay down, then after a moment half-tossed a blanket over her.

"In this seriously it?"

"Yes. On the plus side, with three of us we can sleep in 8 hour shifts and not have to share."

"Not the fucking worst thing ever, then. Does doc fucking snore?"

"I do fucking not. Nor am I asleep yet. Something about the people standing over me talking."

"We'll leave you to your rest, doctor."

"Thank you."

"So," Jack said as they went back to the kitchen area. "Sleeping area. Bathroom?"

"Off the sleeping area."

How many seats in the cockpit?"

"Two, pilot set up and a work terminal tucked to the side. This is exactly what you see. Two chairs at the table, one recliner with an E-Comm screen. That's it."

"Shit."

"You can still back out-"

"Fuck no! For once it's my turn to rescue fucking Shepard. Maybe it'll wipe some of the smugness off her fucking face every time I see her."

"Doubt it. If she weren't so nice (and the savior of the universe) it would be hard not to punch her every time you see her."

"Fucking exactly." Share a moment. Then it's over. "So...doc's out."

"I still have work to do, and you still need to pack."

"Yeah. Shit." Rubbing her face. "See you in the morning, yeah? You fucking try to leave without me-"

"I wouldn't dream of it, Jack."

"Fuck a duck, princess, I know you can lie better than that."

"I might dream of it, but I won't. I promise."

"Fine. Later cheerleader."

"Until next time."

"Fuck you."

-090-

Miranda was in the kitchen, putting away the doctor's purchases when the older woman shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing her face and hiding a groan in her throat.

“Feeling better, doctor?” Miranda asked, pitching her voice lower than normal.

“Mm, well, the room has stopped spinning but now my mouth is full of cotton and my stomach is very upset with me.”

“No tried and true hangover cure from the doctor?”

“It’s medi-gel, and you’re standing in front of it.”

“Oh, right.” Miranda moves. The doctor dispenses it, and applies it to herself. Sighs deeply a few minutes later.

“That’s better.”

“I’m surprised you would agree to use medi-gel on something like a hangover.”

“Normally no, but I bought more especially for this when I heard Peter was gone.”

“Well, at least you’re responsible with your intoxicants, then.” Sighing a bit. “Jack, on the other hand...”

“Oh, she’s clean.”

“Pardon me?”

“Of the heavy drugs at least, she is. It was a condition of her working at Grissom Academy.”

“How do you know that?” Surprised.

“Who do you think got her clean?” Shudders. “That was a rough three weeks, I’ll tell you what.”

“I thought most drug protocols took less than a week to help clear the system.”

“And what makes you think Jack was taking anything typical? I’m fairly certain half of what was in her system weren’t so much drugs as poisons. It was the only way she could get a reaction with as inoculated against them as she is from her time in that facility.”

“...true.” Tightly.

The doctor goes on. “It was the last requirement for getting the job. She had to have a doctor sign off on a clean bill of health. Only what doctor is she going to trust to examine her enough to do that?”

“She could have forged it.”

“Hm, yes. But Shepard has a way of making all of us...follow her lead. And Jack also knew that her level of...usage wasn’t something she could hide for long.”

“So she came to you.”

“Who else but the doctor that Shepard trusted? Probably the only doctor who ever treated her like a person instead of an experiment.” Again pointed.

“Hm.”

“She wouldn’t allow me to admit her in the hospital, of course, but she had enough credits to convince me she could rebuild my apartment if it was destroyed in the process. She slept on my couch for three weeks, it was closer than the bedroom to a toilet, and by the end of it she was actually eating enough that she no longer looked like a walking skeleton.”

“I believe you, but how do you know she  _ stayed _ clean?”

“Peter and I were friends in med school, and lost touch as he went to the private sector and I chose the military route. I looked in to who was on the Grissom Academy station, and found his name and asked him to do me a favor. Jack refuses to let him draw the blood, but she’s turned over a fresh sample on demand every month since then and watches as he runs the test to be sure that’s all he does with it.”

“Jack submits to that. Willingly.”

“It’s surprising what people will do when you ask nicely.”

“If you have a point, Dr. Chakwas, please make it.”

“You’re dreading being around Jack more than you need to be. She’s rough around the edges, but she isn’t a wild animal. Don’t tell her I said that, she’ll try and prove me wrong.”

“See, that’s exactly the problem-”

“No, the problem is that as a child she was locked in a room and forced to kill while on psychotropic drugs and no one has allowed her to live without constantly being reminded of that...until now.”

FIX THIS. Too preachy. Next.

-090-

Jack was at the dock before dawn, requesting entrance onto the tiny ship. Dr. Chakwas granted her entrance, and motioned for her to be quiet as she went in to place her bag in one of the unoccupied locker. 

She needn’t have bothered, Miranda sat up as soon as she entered the room and checked the time.

“Shit.”

“Sleep in, princess?” Jack sighed theatrically. “La-dee-fuckin’-da.”

“Who taught you that particular phrase?”

“One of the kids. The little shits are actually kind of useful sometimes.”

“Right.” Getting up. “Tell the doctor I’ll be up in a minute to start our departure sequence. Our tiny tub doesn’t have quite the inertial dampeners as the Normandy did so you’ll need to pick a place to sit until we’re up to speed.”

“I know how it fucking works, Lawson, been on plenty of other ships before.” Rolling her eyes and leaving. “Don’t take all day primping princess, no one here cares!”

An auspicious start to their intrepid journey.

Miranda changed quickly, and did take a moment out of habit to straighten her hair and clean her teeth. Coffee would be waiting for her when she came out, and hopefully a thawed breakfast roll of some sort. 

Both were beside the pilot’s seat, and the ex-Cerberus operative sent the doctor a grateful smile as she went by and settled in to start things up.

Warming things up didn’t take long, but the required checks and affirmations from the docks did. Jack settled to the kitchen, where at least Miranda didn’t have to listen to her gripe about how long it was taking to launch.

“No countdown?” the doctor asked mildly as they prepared for rapid acceleration away from the ship yard.

“No,” Miranda replied. “If I’m lucky, she’ll be taking a drink.”

The ship leapt into motion, and a startled yelp came a moment later along with the sound of someone scrambling for a rag.

“That was beneath you,” the doctor said into the following silence, and the smirk that was on Miranda’s lips quickly slid south. 

“...I’ll apologize later,” the former XO said after it became apparent there would nothing more forthcoming.

“I should hope so.”

Yelling would have been preferable. Yelling, you could deflect and make the other person feel ashamed for losing control. Disappointment was much harder to counter.

With the course set, there was no need for anyone to remain at the controls any longer. Sensors would alert them to any oncoming danger, and with a ship that tiny even in the bedroom it would take barely three steps to reach the controls if needed. 

Miranda still stayed in the cockpit for an extra few hours, ignoring the knowing look the doctor gave her before heading to sleep for a time. It was when her stomach growled that she finally got up, heading back to the tiny eating area where a scowling Jack lounged in her chair. A dark stain was obvious in her lap, but what made the ex-Cerberus genuinely feel bad were the pads that showed signs of also being damp.

“Sorry about that,” she said as she moved to the counter, pulling out a cup of noodles to reheat. “I should have warned you.”

“Yes you fucking should have,” Jack replied, not even bothering to look up from her work. 

“I, uh...I’ll be sure to next time.”

“Huh. At least you aren’t trying to fucking pretend it was an accident.”

“I am human, Jack. I do occasionally make mistakes.”

“About fashion choices and you should work for, yes. How to fly a ship...not so fucking much.” Giving her a once over. “Still wearing the same one-piece suits with fuck-me heals, I see.”

“And what do you call that atrocity you’re wearing?” Turning around to lean against the counter, checking her noodles. “_____ or ______?”

“Don’t be jealous just because I can pull it off and you fucking can’t.”

“Psychotic bitch.”

“Cerberus cow.” Looking up suddenly. “Did you find any news of the ship we’re after?”

“Yes, I did. Not here, but at a fuel station nearby. We’ll stop there in a day and hopefully confirm where they were going next.”

“Alright.” Getting up, and stealing Miranda’s noodles as she’s getting something else. The former XO looks down, gets confused, then glances at Jack in time to see her stuffing her mouth full of noodles. The noodles Miranda just made. 

She pauses, feeling herself get angry...and then lets it go. She grabs an MRE instead, and heads back to the cockpit. Jack is a child, and it isn’t worth getting angry with her. Its best just to ignore the behavior.

Jack smirks, and keeps on eating.

-090-

The station has the information they believe it does, and the next leg of their journey is a week without a break. 

It takes three days before Jack gets bored.

“Hey, cheerleader. Any objection to me checking out the E-Comm?”

“No, none at all.” Hopefully it will keep her occupied for awhile.

Miranda becomes aware of someone watching her a while later, and turns to find Jack sitting at the second station with a Cheshire grin.

“Do you require something, Jack?”

“No, not really.” Smug smile. “Just, you know, fucking surprised.”

“By what?” Genuinely confused.

“Wouldn’t have thought your taste was quite that fucking varied. Even into the Turian/human stuff, huh? That’s fucking downright freaky. Especially when you consider how good the odds are of your airway cutting off from the swelling if you fucking swallow.”

“...what are you talking about?”

“Don’t play coy, cheerleader. You didn’t even bother to wipe the fucking history from the browser, and you, you horny little bitch, have been watching a lot of porn. What’s the matter? You going into heat?”

“I don’t use the E-Comm, Jack. Whatever you thought you saw, it wasn’t me.”

“Right. And who else-”

“That would be me.” Dr. Chakwas, coming to stand behind Miranda’s seat. Jack, for once, is surprised enough not to have a response. “What? I’m old, not dead. A desire for sexual fulfillment is healthy and normal, even at my ‘advanced’ age.” Dour.

“And you’re into Turian/human porn?” Jack is almost impressed.

“As it so happens, no. But I was looking for an outlet for a certain disappointment, and that did not fulfill it. Neither did ______ or _______, but I can recommend ________ as if nothing else highly inventive.”

“Doc, never would have pegged you for a freak. Do you often drop in on friends for a fuck?”

“If they’re available and of a like mind, why not?” Giving Jack a wan smile. “I’m a doctor in the Alliance Navy, Jack. There is very little I have not seen or discussed when it comes to sex between humans, and almost as much between humans and other alien species.” Snorting. “Would you believe I once flipped a coin with Moridin over who was going to give Shepard the ‘sex talk’ before you raided the Collector base?”

“You fuckin’ what?” Jack, grinning in disbelief.

“A good deal of the crew was engaging some sexual congress in the months leading up to that final confrontation. I believe that I touched base with both of you, not that it was necessary. As the XO, Ms. Lawson, it would have been inappropriate to engage in such relations with anyone and you, Jack, were too busy snarling at everyone to climb in bed with them.”

“Fuck!” Half laughing. “And what about you, doc?”

“No, not that time. I could never bring myself to behave as such with anyone I was actively serving with, and Shepard’s predilection for rashness always kept me busy patching her back up again, along with whoever she dragged with her.” Catching the doctor’s eye. “I meant it, Jack, I doubt there is much you could say that would make me blush in regards to intimate relations between people.”

“Sounds like a fucking challenge to me.”

“You would.” Miranda, sighing.

“Well, you can give it your best shot while Miranda takes her turn sleeping.” To Miranda. “I already swapped the bags out, and you shorted your last session because of that leak we had. Get to it, Captain, can’t have you falling asleep at the wheel.”

“Thank you, Doctor Chakwas. You will come and get me if-”

“We know the fucking drill, cheerleader.” Jack, rolling her eyes. “Go away so the adults can talk. I want to hear more stories from doc.”

“...and on that note I will take my leave.”

“Sweet dreams, cheerleader.” Mocking.

Miranda firmly put the pair and whatever it was they were discussing firmly from her mind and tried to sleep. It was getting harder to find her rest with the lack of physical activity, but there were work arounds for that. She basically exercises herself into exhaustion, then cleans up and goes to sleep. Its a fitful sleep most nights.

She is in the middle of pull ups when the door whooshes open and Jack sticks her head in. Pauses at seeing Miranda in a tank top and shorts, steadily lifting herself up and down by her arms with her legs crossed beneath her. 

"Do you want something, Jack?" Not breaking stride.

"Doc needs you. Wondered why you weren't answering your Omni for once."

Miranda looks at the pile that is her clothes and other things. "What about?"

"Something about some fucking ship wanting our clearance code for being in this area of space."

"Right, clothes it is." Jack doesn't move. "Goodbye, Jack. I'll be there in a minute."

"Fuck, I didn't take you for shy, cheerleader."

"Funny, I did take you for stalkerish." Pointed look.

"Your fucking loss."

"I think I'll manage all the same." As Jack goes. Miranda changes quickly. Heads out, and gives all the correct codes. Dr. Chakwas apologizes for waking her. All is well. Miranda goes back to sleep. And can't quite forget the way Jack was looking at her when she first came in. 

-090-

It's a normal sort of day. Or as normal as it can be when you're stuck on a tiny ship. Miranda wakes up and Jack takes her place, giving her a thoughtful look as she does. She shares a quiet meal with Chakwas, and then plays a game with her. Chakwas admits she a rather illuminating discussion about sex with Jack. Also that she won several rounds of a game. It was quite satisfying.

Eventually Jack gets up, and the Dr goes to lay down. Miranda is hip-deep combing through some records that just arrived. Jack goes to her own work, watching the reviews of her students and sending back her own thoughts ans ideas. At this point, it takes half a day for the packet to go back and forth so she tries to finish quickly so they have the feedback as soon as possible. 

They briefly interact over dinner, Jack calling Miranda out on pacing. Being jittery, having too much energy. Miranda mutters something back about not enough space to properly stretch her legs, and Jack hmms and agreement. 

“So maybe next time you’ll book a fucking ‘proper’ ship, eh?”

Ugh.

-090-

Miranda has just started changing to do her nightly exercises when the door whooshes open again. Its Jack, leaning against the doorway with a familiar smirk.

“Can I help you?” Miranda asked when nothing immediately came forth.

“Fuck, and here I was thinking I could help you.” Sauntering over. Miranda tells herself she’s imagining the way Jack seems to rake over her with her eyes. Her cheeks still turn a little pink. “You’re not tired. Neither am I. How about-”

“We are not sparring on this ship, Jack. I don’t care how good you think your control is...”

“I’m not fucking stupid, cheerleader. Shit, Shepard is the one who got spaced and I don’t think anyone is in a hurry to fucking repeat the experience.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Wanna fuck?”

It was so casual, so carelessly thrown out there that for a moment she was sure Jack was joking. Or bluffing. Too many years of operative training could not ignore the dark cast to those intent eyes, the cant of her narrow hips and the tip of the tongue traced one lip.

_ Oh. _

“Jack...” The name was nebulous enough that even Miranda had no idea if it was in encouragement or refusal. 

“Asked doc, she doesn’t care as long as her bag is kept clear of, in her words, any ‘flying fluids’.” Smirking. “It’s always the quiet ones that fucking surprise you, hm?” Stepping closer.

“...just a fuck?” The question slips out before she has time to consider it.

“We can fuck as many times as you want.” Pressing closer when there is no resistance. “Or do you mean ‘no strings attached’, because I thought it would be fucking obvious by now that this is just a physical thing.”

Miranda lifts her chin as full lips nip at her neck and fingers tangle into the hair at her nape.

“Mm.”

“Is that agreement or not, cheerleader? Because I’m not in the fucking mood to play ‘She didn’t say no so that fucking means yes’ later on.” Pausing.

Miranda opens her mouth to basically make a rape joke...and remembers who she’s talking to. Swallows thickly. “...yes. Let’s fuck.”

Jack doesn’t waste time. 

There is no preamble, no moment to adjust. The words are out, and just as quickly she’s pressed against the bulkhead, Jack sliding one knee up between her own and hands finding their way under the tanktop and shorts. Miranda has never allowed herself to be a pillow princess, but finds herself being more passive than usual as the psychotic biotic clearly has a goal in mind. 

She does yelp when she's lifted clean off her feet and carried to the less than comfortable bed. 

"Shit, Cheerleader, how much you weigh?"

"Jack if you drop-oof!"

"I'll make it up to you." That smirk again. 

It takes a moment to register the breeze about her nethers is because her shorts are being flung over one shoulder, but that is quickly subsumed by the sharp bite of Jack's mouth on her thigh.

A handful of Jack's hair grasped right keeps her from going further, and the other woman pauses to meet Miranda's eyes. 

When nothing comes forth, she carefully pulls away from the grasp, tongue extended, and suddenly Miranda is on fire. 

Hot flesh sliding relentlessly is enough to make her legs shake and her hips jerk, the almost be using force of biotic enhanced fingers holding her still only further fuel on the fire. Her hand finds Jack's hair again, pulling closer this time as her back arcs and her legs try to lift her hips higher still.

A laugh against her thigh is enough to bring a whine of displeasure and need from her throat, and Jack gives her a nip in response.

"Patience," she murmured as tonge soothed the tooth marks. "I need to breathe."

"Fuck you, Jack."

"You better, princess, this isn't for free."

Two fingers slipping in and curling in just the right spot sends any witty ripost out the window (shit, she is wet) and with it brings an orgasm that feels a bit like being slammed into a brick wall. 

Jack rides the waves out, then is gone. Miranda should probably care where to, but the stars haven't faded from her eyes nor the breath returned to her lungs. She reorients herself in time to discover a bare pussy inches from her mouth.

"Hope you're hungry," the ex-con quips, and the expanse of tattooed skin is... exquisite. Miranda has a full schematic of Jack's tattoos (her agents were always thorough) but even knowing what they are isn't enough to prepare one for the vista they create wrapped around the voracious woman above her.

The older woman's hands came up, gingerly tracing from knees to hips to spreading open...a flow of hot liquid met her seeking mouth, and she gave Jack a surprised glance. 

“What can I say?” the ex-con half groan as she was subjected to an exploratory lick. “Watching you...ah...come part was...fuckin hot.”

Miranda hummed approval, and the woman above her swore. Muscles twitched and jumped as she switched from swiping to sucking long and hard, pulling the growing bud of pleasure ever deep in her mouth.

Rutting was the only word for it, the desperate flex of hips in a frenzied pursuit of release as Miranda allowed no moment of reprieve to the writhing Jack. It was, to borrow a phrase from Jack, fuckin’ hot. Torn between seeing to the explicative-spewing hellspawn riding her mouth and her own growing desire, she settled for rubbing her legs together the best she could and using her hands to keep Jack from bucking herself clean off the bed. 

(Could Dr. Chakwas hear them? Did she want to hear them? Was this all a ploy to get some free, live porn between two people she knew? Did it matter?)

The last thought banished the rest as Jack’s peak came, and with it a gush of hot cum filled her mouth and threatened to drown her along with her thoughts.

“ _ Fuck me _ , cheerleader...” Gasped, half-falling to the side. “Shit-!”

“Get back here,” Miranda replied, following as her companion ended up sprawled against the headboard with legs still spread. “I’m not done.”

“Fuck that, give me a-”

“No.”

Protests died as she carefully slid two fingers home in the still twitching cunt, avoiding the throbbing center of pleasure above it but skillfully stretching and teasing the pulsing walls in a way that soon had the ex-con mewling for more. 

“Needy much, Jack?” she taunted, unable to stop it. 

“When this is...over...gonna fuck you... _ so hard _ ...you walk funny.. _.bitch _ -”

“Promises, promises...” Hitting a sweet spot, Jack’s hips jumping helplessly. “Do you want me to stop?”

“I ought to-”

“Do you?” Miranda’s hand went still, and Jack let loose a feral groan of protest. “Tell me what you want.”

“Fuck me.”

“Tell me what you want...specifically.”

“Never took you for...a sadist...” Still desperately trying to generate friction by pumping her hips, but Miranda isn’t giving her anything. “Fuck...your fingers. Fuck me...with your fingers. Now.”

Leaning closer still. “Say please.”

“...I am going to  _ kill-” _

Miranda thrust all three fingers home hard, enjoying the way Jack’s back arched into it and her ass nearly came off the bed. “Say please.”

“Fuck... _ please _ , alright, please fuck me you Cerberus bitch before I-”

It was wrong how good it felt to drown the words with her mouth, tongue tasting herself on Jack’s lips as she pistoned her arm as rhythmically as she could into the smaller woman. Hands on her neck pulled her closer still, and she moaned into the kiss as Jack managed to worm a leg in between her own.

“You’re  _ soaked _ ,” Jack murmured into her mouth as her body began to tense again, clearly nearing her peak. “Better...get ready...payback’s a  _ bitch _ -!”

“I thought I was the bitch,” Miranda shot back before latching onto the offered throat, Jack’s head flung back in pleasure as her world came apart once more.

“You are,” Jack agreed throatily, gasping for air as Miranda continued thrusting through the quaking jerks of her hips. “My bitch. Gonna...make you wish...hmm-”

“Maybe catch your breath first, hm?” Smugly.

“ _ Bitch _ .”

“That has been established, yes.” Thrusting more slowly now. Her hand is soaked to the wrist in Jack’s fluids, and she brings it up to lick it off her fingers. Jack watches, her gaze is like hot coals.

“Never thought I'd hear you beg, Jack, but you do it very prettily..."

"Oh, that's it-!"

  
An hour later, Miranda wondered if baiting the ex-con could be considered a success or a failure. Her legs ached pleasantly, as did several other parts of her body, from exhausting and surpisingly satisfying sex. Jack had cleaned up, slapped her on the ass in passing and said, “Thanks, bitch,” before disappearing upstairs. The nonchalant swagger was a bit ruined by the wobble in her legs (yes, Miranda always gave as good as she got and she had been gotten  _ very _ g

ood that night). 

And now she was seriously considering falling asleep in the sticky mess that was leftover rather than stand long enough for a shower. That would not do.

She gets up, gets cleaned, and steals Jack’s sleeping sack (her’s is a sticky mess that she quickly places in the clear). She sleeps sounder than she has in quite a while, and surrounded by the scent of Jack that makes the ache between her legs go from discomfort to  _ want. _ She briefly considers rubbing herself on the pillow just to mess with Jack, then discards the idea as juvenile and beneath her.

She goes out to the main area and breakfast is waiting by the pilot seat per usual. She thanks the Dr and surreptitiously glances about for Jack.

"She's already laying down."

"Hm?"

"Jack. She's been yawning her head off for the last hour. Apparently someone wore her out."

Pointed.

Miranda just shrugged. "She said she spoke to you about it-"

"And I genuinely don't care, nor do I wish to discuss it in any way other than to tell you whatever happened, I would say she enjoyed it. She was whistling the entire time she was working, if rather tunelessly, and there was a certain...satisfied lassitude about her in the few minutes we spoke.” Not paying attention. “Well done.”

“...thank you.”

The day goes on. 

Jack wakes up while Miranda is working, and the Dr goes to take her place. She can hear Jack giving her students corrections via video recordings, and wonders if that bite on her neck left enough of a mark to be seen through the tattoos. Not that Jack would care. She honestly can’t imagine the woman actually being embarrassed about anything.

Her own work reveals, via some information packets they receive while passing a comms beacon, that Dierdra Fulman (the name Shepard accidentally took as her own) was seen to at the Temporary Outpost Hospital on _______, and discharged after three weeks AMA. The head doctor wished to do further tests, and consult with a specialist on _______ about the implants Deirdra Fulman had, but given that she was able to walk out the door she did so and didn’t look back. The doctor had no further records to offer, and recommends speaking to the space docks of the colony. The patient in question became focused on one particular colony before she left. Which colony no one can agree on.

Miranda spent the rest of her time composing and sending off several vid messages requesting various types of information on both official channels and calling in favors with a few of Liara’s contacts (ones she could use without hopefully alerting Liara). 

Dr. Chakwas comes out, and Miranda finds herself yawning as she works. Decides its probably best to sleep (since she was shorted the night before). Jack pointedly does not look at her as she passes by, and she figures that means no adult times tonight. Very well. It wasn’t like she was looking forward to it anyways.

Something about it puts her in mind of something else she forgot about, and decides its something to discuss tomorrow. Preferably after they’ve both had some sleep.

Miranda falls asleep fairly quickly, in her own freshly cleaned bag...and wakes up to find Jack stripping on her way to the shower. 

“Going to clean up before I sleep,” she said, clearly giving Miranda good eyeful before entering the small space. “Want to join me?”

Sleep was overrated anyways. 

The shower part was actually halfway decent, she had seen to that personally once the vessel was hers (nothing was worse than traveling and feeling gross at the end of it), but the bar Jack held onto overhead as Miranda left a trail of bites along one breast and thoroughly fucked her spread pussy with fingers was intended for a less...pleasurable pursuit. Torture, actually, should Miranda need to quietly question someone in an unusually thorough manner. She briefly wondered if Jack would be disgusted or amused to discover that (amused, probably, and then find a way to use it against Miranda. Best to keep it to herself) but was quickly distracted by the unabashed cries of a companion nearing her peak.

“Do you have a thing about showers?” Miranda asked as Jack took a moment to catch her breath, shaking her own wet hair out of her eyes. “Or is this a comment on my smell last time?”

“It’s a comment on do you know how fuckin’ annoying it is to sleep in something that smells like the person you just fucked? You wake up, thinking you can go another round and they’re not there.” Backs Miranda up to the wall.

“Sounds frustrating.”

“It was.” Biting her shoulder. “Turn around.” Miranda pauses. “What? You mean I haven’t been fuckin’ amazing at this so far?”

Miranda turned around. She had a few thoughts on how this might end, but Jack dropping to her knees and eating her out from behind while her hands spread her wide from the front wasn’t one of them. 

The rest of her rational thought fled, and her world narrowed to three fingers and a very talented tongue winding her body into precise coils of pleasure that were simply waiting for the right mo-

Biotics, her mind identified as Jack’s hands hummed with the power and strength to keep her upright as her knees gave out. 

“Enjoy that, bitch?”

“Not as much as you did when- ah!”

Fingers sliding, mimicking what she had done before. Payback was, in fact, a bitch...but a talented one nonetheless.

“I wonder,” Jack murmured into her ear. “How far I’ll string you along before I make you beg.”

“Not far,” Miranda quipped, hips already rocking in time with the shallow thrusts. “You aren’t that patient.”

“I can be,” Jack replied in a voice that sent a shiver down Miranda’s spine. “When I want to be.”

“Then...how bad...do you want it?”

“To see you dancing on the end of a string for my pleasure? Very fuckin’ bad.”

“Ha!” Unable to form more words as the fingers have found a spot, a very  _ good  _ spot, and she’s hoping,  _ hoping _ -!

“Not yet, cheerleader.” Holding still, just like she did before. “I want to know how badly you want it.”

“Very.” Strained. Fighting the biotics.

“I’m not convinced.”

“Jack-!”

“Hm?” Teasing, barely moving her fingers.

“F-fuck, I-.....more, I need-...mm...”

“And what would you do if I just...walked away? Right now?”

“Ha....you...” Something in Jack’s voice makes her pause, and go still. “Jack?”

Jack doesn’t respond. Neither of them move. Just as suddenly she is again, driving Miranda towards a thunderous orgasm that leaves her quaking and unable to stand. The biotics give way, and to her surprise Jack actually catches her and helps lower her to the floor, curling up with her under the warm spray.

“Jack?” 

“Hm?”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“It didn’t feel like nothing.”

“...I hated you, for a really long time. I used to dream about...having you powerless, and in my control.”

“I imagine the ending wouldn’t have been as...enjoyable.”

“Not for you, no.” Almost thinking aloud. “I know it wasn’t fair. You didn’t do the stuff to me, but you were the closest...representative of everything I hated. Of everything I wanted to destroy.”

“I think I can understand that.”

“And for a moment I realized I had what I had dreamed of for years. You, powerless, in my control.” Shaking her head. “I won’t kill you. Not now, you’re...part of the team. Shepard’s team.”

“Yeah.”

“But for just a second I thought...what was the worst thing I could do to you?”

“And you didn’t.”

“Nope.” 

“Why?”

“Because you’re a decent lay and I’m weeks if not months away from another one.” Sighing. “Doc turned me down again.” Rolling Miranda over so they’re front-to-front in the tiny space.

“Fuck you, Jack.”

“Yeah, I know.”

By the time they’re finished, Miranda has another thought.

“You did this so you could sleep afterwards.”

“Yep.” Crawling into the bed.

“...you’re an ass.”

“Yep. Night, bitch.”

“...shit.”

She comes out to Dr. Chakwas wearing headphones. Puts a hand on her shoulder, she takes them off.

“Is it over?”

“Was it...you couldn’t...”

“I don’t know, and I don’t intend to find out.” Waving her away. “Full speed ahead and all that. What’s next on our to-do list today?”

They get to work. 

A routine is established. Jack either comes to see her when she goes to sleep or wakes her up a bit early almost every day. Its a good exercise for them both, and it absolutely doesn’t leave the bedroom. Doc ignores it, and keeps on going while she can. 

They pass through two more fuel stops before they get to the hospital world. Find what they’re looking for through the docks. Shepard took passage on a ship, heading deeper into space. Manifest said going to _____ and ______, no idea if it made it or not yet. Might not have even reached the second destination yet if they went the long way around and made other stops on the way. 

Dr. Chakwas gets first dibs on the bed when they reboard, and Jack goes with Miranda to the cockpit. Waits until she has everything settled before telling her, “Scoot up.”

“Hm?”

“Scoot up. I have an idea.” Smirk.

She scoots up, and Jack fits in behind her, pulling her back into her seat. 

“Doc’s exhausted, so she shouldn’t hear a thing,” Jack murmured as her hands went to work unfastening the front of Miranda’s suit. Its a one-off, since Miranda can’t turn around, but they both enjoy it a great deal.”

“Damn.”

“Hm?” Enjoying the afterglow haze.

“Shoulda done this right before she woke up. Then I could follow you back and properly finish you off.”

“What about you?”

“That too.” Thoughtfully licking her hand clean. Miranda watches.

“Come here.” 

Miranda manages to position her on the console and eats her out from her seat.

“I bet Joker has wet dreams about this sort of thing.”

“Joker’s wet dream became a reality. And are you so bored you want me to stop and have an actual conversation about this?”

“Fuck no. Get back to work, bitch.”

“Thought not.”

Basically sex, sex, and sex again. 

Then Miranda finally works up the courage to ask about the thing that’s been bothering her. The best lies are the ones that have a kernel of truth. 

“How long have you known where your family is?”

Jack pauses in doing something that might be potentially mistaken as sweet.

“...I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Liara believed you. She already knew, or had an inkling.”

“Fuck, cheerleader, what is it about-”

“Why haven’t you gone to them yet?”

“Because I don’t know if they’re still alive.” Thickly. “And...things happened.”

“...Shepard.” Putting the pieces together. “Shepard found out, promised to go with you. Probably when all of this was over.”

“...I hate you sometimes.” Getting up.

“No kiss goodbye? Besides, you’re the one that’s supposed to be sleeping and I did promise to do that thing with my tongue that you love....”

“...if I answer your questions, you’ll leave me the fuck alone about it and get busy.”

“Deal. What happened?”

“Liara put out the word after ex-Cerberus started throwing themselves at the Alliance for safety that anyone with important information should come forward  _ or else _ . She was, obviously, hoping for leads to the Illusive Man. What she got was a couple of low-level clerks who remembered a few important details about someone who became Patient Zero.”

Blah, blah, blah.

“...incidentally, that is the way that we’re heading.”

“I know.” Frowning. “Now get to work.”

“Fine, fine, greedy...”

Miranda decides to leave it that, for now.

They have to take three days at a fuel station to fix a minor problem. Miranda assumes Jack is going to head off on her own for those three days. Much to her surprise, the biotic is actually half-way helpful and stays with her each night. They make excellent use of a bed that’s actually comfortable, and sleeping at the same time isn’t as weird as Miranda was afraid it would be. She’s actually a little sad when they’re back on the ship, and they’re sleeping in shifts again.

They both start constantly rationalizing ways to do things for each other. Dr. Chakwas watches, as silent observer to two women being hopelessly oblivious with each other. It is both fascinating and endlessly irritating.

They track Shepard through a few other stops. Miranda doesn’t say anything when they head straight towards the colony her family was last seen in (Jack’s). 

There is one stop where they run into the Normandy, early on. So the others know something is going on. Garrus promises to keep it from Shepard, but who knows how well that’s going to go. They press onwards.

They get to the colony, track down Shepard. Shepard is with Jack’s family. Her hair is just starting to grow back, and she’s outside helping an older woman with her garden. Dr. Chakwas is walking between them (they never do anything that makes them remotely appear like a couple) and all three stop and stare.

Shepard is...obviously Shepard.

And her companion looks like Jack.

“Shit.”

“Yeah,” Miranda agreed.

Shepard looked up.

The tool drops from her hand, and her whole body freezes as though she’s been poleaxed. Her companion looks up, sees the visitors, then turns back to Shepard.

“Dear? What’s...what’s wrong? You-” Shepard stops breathing.

Dr. Chakwas leaps into action.

Miranda and Jack carry Shepard inside, where others start yelling, wondering what’s going on. The Dr does her work, Miranda keeps the family at bay. Jack sits by Shepard. 

“Wake up, you crazy bitch. Wake up, wake up, wake up...”

Shepard opens her eyes.

“...Shep?”

“...Jack?”

Jack couldn’t remember the last time she cried. 

Lots of confused back and forth. The family is shocked to it's core. Jack still hasn’t spoken to any of them. Slowly the explanations came out.

Shepard came to them almost a month ago, straight off a ship. She didn’t know why, she just knew this was where she was supposed to be. And that as long as she stayed here, something was supposed to happen. The family humored her at first, then started to take care of her. They never realized who she was, but she was helpful around the house and something about her made them want to help her.

“Liara...?”

“Alive, and well, and probably going to murder us when we show up with you unexpectedly.”

“You didn’t tell her?”

“We didn’t want to get her hopes up.” Miranda. “Losing you was...very hard for her.”

“...I need to get back.”

“Not yet.” Dr. Chakwas. “Not unless you’re well enough. Space travel is hard on us, even when we’re healthy. You haven’t been, and it shows.” Decisively doing something doctory. “We aren’t going anywhere until I say so.”

Miranda glances at the group. “Then what are we going to tell Liara?”

“The truth. We found Jack’s family, and she’s refusing to talk to them in typical Jack fashion.”

“Doc, I like you, but say that again and I’ll-”

“Easy.” Miranda putting a hand on her shoulder. “She’s not wrong, but its been a hard few days for all of us.” 

All of them looking down at Shepard, who’s sleeping.

“She’s alive.” Dr. Chakwas, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

“She is,” Miranda agreed with a half-laugh.

“Fucking-A.” 

-090-

“I don’t understand.”

Explaining things to Jack’s family.

Do they tell her the truth or not? I kind of like the idea that she chooses not to, because this family has already mourned their daughter and moved on. But, on the other hand, she has a little sister who’s an incredible biotic...and she knows just the school for her. One where she can get the training she needs to become someone incredible, for a very long, and full life. And she can get her in immediately, and for free, because she’s the head of the biotics department.

“Professor Jacquline Nought.”

“Professor, hm?” Miranda smirking.

It would also be hilarious if they think Jack and Miranda are married, or together at least, and that’s what gets Jack finally thinking about things. About what happens when this is over. About what she wants to happen. About...maybe it can happen?

Sheppard slowly coming back in to her memories, the others chiming in with what they remember. Jack and Miranda ending up helping out with a few things in the community, and the doctor as well. 

Jack getting jealous when someone flirts with Miranda. 

It leads to some absolutely fantastic fucking, so Miranda doesn't mind. She also starts to maybe think about things.

They can't be traditional (and who would want to be) but Jack teachs and Miranda works for Liara and once or twice a year they go visit the family instead of acting like rabbits when they have a few days together.

And of course: Liara and Shepard. 

The trip home is interesting. Figure this out. Do they meet up with the Normandy, or make it all the way back to the Citadel before they meet up?

Tearful, fluffy, so awesome. It's over the moon adorable. So amazing. 


End file.
